Boeing decides to shift production from Washington to South Carolina. The main sticking point: Militant unions.After back-to-back Machinists strikes in 2005 and again in 2008, the company said its reputation as a reliable supplier came under fire from the airlines.Reader ZeHawks Fan comments,
A lot changed last summer because of those Dreamliner troubles. Boeing ended up buying out one of its suppliers near Charleston. What had been Vought Aircraft Industries was now Boeing Charleston - Boeing's beachhead on the East Coast.
"Our relationship with the Machinists union was a factor, but it wasn't the only factor," said Boeing spokesman Russ Young.
But the company and the union couldn't come together on a contract that would have limited strikes.
"There were some meaningful discussions about production stability, about a longer term of agreement. There were a couple of things the union wanted that we just couldn't agree to, like work guarantees," said Young.
There is a HUGE difference between building a BMW SUV and a Airplane. I can fit that BMW 4 times in the center fuel tank now tell me S.C can build this product. I say flip burgers as a "metaphor" meaning low wage earners with zero experience are going to be asked to build a product that puts hundreds of people thousands of feet into the air. I would not trust a low paid no experienced non-union person to put my family in the air.ZeHawks Fan adds,
Obviously you've never lived in S.C. There is a reason why their economy is so poor their "aerospace" workers make as much a burger flippers over here. You get what you pay for honey.ZeHawks has absolutely no clue as to what's going on or what aerospace workers make in South Carolina. Not one clue. I'll happily fly an airliner built in South Carolina. (Seattle residents are busy attacking those unsophisticated hicks in South Carolina right now.)
Old-line unionists like ZeHawks still aren't getting The Big Picture. Seattle could become Detroit on the West Coast again. It wasn't that long ago that Seattle was wrestling with 17% unemployment.
We can still manufacture high-value stuff in the US. Honda has proved it. Toyota has proved it. BMW has proved it. Even GM proved it, until they caved under political pressure from the unions to shut down Spring Hill. We can no longer manufacture stuff in the US with militant unions and rigid management. That old Us vs Them model is broken.
11 comments:
Only Seattle union members possess the jedi skills required to assemble aircraft, skills which nobody anywhere could possibly develop.
I see cat food in their future.
Only Seattle union members possess the jedi skills required to assemble aircraft
Yep, that's the message I received loud and clear as well. Funny, I've arrived intact after stepping off of Brazilian airliners many times.
This Google images hit says it all.
Link
I dont dispute that the unions seem to go out of their way to shoot themselves in the foot in recent years, but that wasnt the only factor. Cost of living and wages in SC are appreciably lower, and Boeing wouldnt invest the money in a move like this if there wasnt a significant payoff. IE. Some bean counter gave them a projection that showed that they could get away with paying sub par wages for many coming decades in SC. I personally wish we had some boeing engineers inspecting the bridge work here in california. After learning that caltrans thought it was appropriate to tack weld their last repair to one of the supports on the bay bridge, and it somehow passed inspection. Of course that was until yesterday when the i-beam fell into traffic, and they had to close it again.
Anonymous-
We don't know what the wages at the new plant will be but I'm going to guess that "sub par wages" in Washington = "good wages" in South Carolina.
That's right, Tesla. Unions price themselves right out of work.
I understand the need for unions in many occupations, particularly shitty jobs like meat packing. I don't understand the need for unions when it comes to highly-skilled, well-paid occupations.
I don't understand the need for unions when it comes to highly-skilled, well-paid occupations.
Right on Lou.
I'm a skilled worker with only a 2 year college degree and 15 years experience. I made $189,000 last year without the help of any union. I have 4 weeks vacation a year and a lot of other benefits.
Unions served a purpose fifty years ago..but like a lot of things grew in power and wealth to the point that they have become symbolic of the many ills of the American worker. A company has to have reliable output which is part of the quality the customer is looking for..being unreliable is unacceptable in todays international marketplaces. I think BA was just as concerned about schedule as they were costs...both have to be considered...six sigma and ISO have made jobs very transportable.
Unions will at somepoint need to be reorganized...rethink their roles and value adds...the problem is not the membership, but the leadership...fat cats milking the workers..reminds me of how government works..perhaps that is why congress and union bosses get along so well. Change will have to come from rank and file which we will not see anytime soon...but never is a long time coming, so at some point real change will come.
I hrd de got some trailer out de yonder So'cacalakie wed flush terlets! Yess sum.
Do't be cypher'n how some'tang weigh so much fly, but it does. Gon'a get my NASCAR tool box and push it over thar fer a job werk'n on jetliner air-o-planes!
/Boeing racist machinist think out
Change will have to come from rank and file which we will not see anytime soon...
Not before we see a lot of very rigid trade protectionism. I think it's coming very soon.
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